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Which in your opinion are the best towns/ cities for anglos and why?
Is this the kind of question where if I don’t know what’s meant by Anglos I should skip it? Or do I assume you mean that you’re contemplating aliyah?
From dictionary.com:
2. (sometimes lowercase) an English-speaking person in a place where English is not the language of the majority.
#2 would seem to indicate that tikva68 is contemplating aliyah. #1 would indicate that s/he would like e.g. to stay away from Puerto Rican neighborhoods in NY.
Beit Shemesh and the Buchman section of Modiin are heavy on the English speakers. When we were doing research, we were told by residents of Beit Shemesh that their kids almost never spoke Hebrew since all their friends are American (for us, that’s one reason why we rejected it).
ramat beit shemesh has chareidi anglos,beit shemesh proper is more dati leumi. modiin is quite large. you really have to check out each place and speak to people that live in those areas. hatzlocha with your decision.
Being among huge crowds of Anglos is not necessarily the best thing. On one hand, your kids will have an easier time in school if they are in an area that’s used to dealing with olim. On the other hand, the Hebrew skills develop much faster if you are not among so many olim. We rejected Beit Shemesh for the same reason Anonymouse1079 did. Almost all the kids in our neighborhood here (in the Shomron) were born here to American parents, so they are fluent in, and prefer to speak, Hebrew. My kids’ Hebrew is much better than their friends in Beit Shemesh who have been here longer.
Who needs Hebrew skills when Yiddish works just fine, and its actually a Jewish language. (Not made up by apikorsum.)
Yiddish is not a first language in Israel. It will work in meah shearim if you want to buy an apt. there.Beautiful yes, but only useful in certain areas.
Joseph, Hebrew is the language spoken in Israel. I know you feel that’s unfortunate, but that’s the way it is. Since more people here speak Hebrew (since it’s the official language and all that), it’s better to have Hebrew skills – unless you’re limiting yourself to living and working only in parts of Yerushalayim, Bney Brak, or perhaps RBS.
Joseph: Do you speak a fluent Yiddish?
If so, Chassidishe Yiddish, Litvish Yiddish?
Gantz fein.
The Tehilla website has a comprehensive list of places that many anglos have moved to. When contemplating aliya it is also wise to consider a city if you have family or a close friend there-that can make the difference between a smooth transition and a a hard adjustment. The Hebrew language issue is a great one but it also depends on the schools you send to. If you go to an Israeli town which is not “open” to the anglo mentality, your frustration level can be great. As for RBS and BS, there is a great separate ulpan for boys and a separate one for girls and it is a town known for helping olim integrate. It may be a great “starter” town until one gets used to the cultural differences. Also most American products can be found in anglo towns albeit at higher prices-but this soothes a woman’s acclimation to Israel and makes it easier to get a home up and running. A cheerful woman wife/mother makes aliya a pleasure.
There is starting to be an Anglo group in Ariel, So far we are mostly religious zionist types, so it might not be a great fit for everyone but if you think it could be good for your family give Avi Zimmerman a call
Did you think of Beitar I think you have the best of both worlds, mainly hebrew speakers
but if you want you got plenty of eglish speakers as well.
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